2025 List Management Thread

[mighty_west]

I have a similar sentiment. I'm struggling to find a different path than we have traveled though.
Any suggestions?

I feel like our long term defensive strategy is a massive fail.

Would you trade a first round pick or a deal involving Sanders to get Butts? I feel as though he's the best we can get but will come at a cost, if we snag pick 22 from the Blues could that Butts a move?

[josie]

Maybe we can try Gardner again but this time it's different.

I do think with Ryan if he could overcome his mental demons he’d be a reasonable defender. Should he play at senior level again I hope he can prove to be a net positive.

[Grantysghost]

Maybe we can try Gardner again but this time it's different.

We did throw him to the wolves against the Hawks.
I'm not as harsh on him. He was really good back in 21 / 22.

[chef]

I have a similar sentiment. I'm struggling to find a different path than we have traveled though.
Any suggestions?

I feel like our long term defensive strategy is a massive fail.

Maybe we can try Gardner again but this time it's different.

[Grantysghost]

If we head into 2026 with only Lobb, Buss and JOD after losing further depth in Jones and Khamis, our list management team should find another job.

I have a similar sentiment. I'm struggling to find a different path than we have traveled though.
Any suggestions?

I feel like our long term defensive strategy is a massive fail.

[Happy Days]

Silvagni was a snow job. We played that well (ie he doesn’t play for us on $900k a year)

[GVGjr]

In hindsight, I wonder if we should have been prepared to pay more for JSOS?

Without looking at the stats, we need players in D50 who can neutralise and/or win ground ball. Budarick should help a little, but JSOS surely would have too.

No point having all this coin and sitting on it every year.

I get there's risk with JSOS but I'd like to understand what we're doing and thinking behind the scenes because the club does a poor job at letting members in.

It's line ball, perhaps in hindsight we could have upped the offer a bit but I suspect the extra year the Saints were offering made it unlikely.

[Bornadog]

In hindsight, I wonder if we should have been prepared to pay more for JSOS?

Without looking at the stats, we need players in D50 who can neutralise and/or win ground ball. Budarick should help a little, but JSOS surely would have too.

No point having all this coin and sitting on it every year.

I get there's risk with JSOS but I'd like to understand what we're doing and thinking behind the scenes because the club does a poor job at letting members in.

I don't think he has had a great career. He is injured quite a bit . Look how many games he has missed since 2016. He has also not played defence all the time - so how good a defender is he?

I think the club did the right thing to not offer more.

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[The Bulldogs Bite]

In hindsight, I wonder if we should have been prepared to pay more for JSOS?

Without looking at the stats, we need players in D50 who can neutralise and/or win ground ball. Budarick should help a little, but JSOS surely would have too.

No point having all this coin and sitting on it every year.

I get there's risk with JSOS but I'd like to understand what we're doing and thinking behind the scenes because the club does a poor job at letting members in.

[Sedat]

Sanders

From Trade Radio

* "Ryley (Sanders) is a super exciting 19yo, we rate him really highly. He is a much-loved member of the club and there's not many situations where you wouldn't see him at the club into the very long future." - Michael Regan

Plenty of wriggle room in that quote if the right deal came along.

[Bornadog]

Sanders

From Trade Radio

* "We certainly asked the question of the Bulldogs but it was shut down pretty quickly." Justin Reid on their interest in Ryley Sanders

* "Ryley (Sanders) is a super exciting 19yo, we rate him really highly. He is a much-loved member of the club and there's not many situations where you wouldn't see him at the club into the very long future." - Michael Regan

[Willow18]

I have edited the squad to include Bramble haha

[Willow18]

My pound4pound ratings had Bramble as our 13th-best player in 2025.
Having a look now, I think that is 100% his correct sport, and I cannot make an argument for anyone below him to be rated higher.
Forecasting for next year, I would hope Sanders, Trelor and Garcia go past him, Cleary is a chance and is the only defender.
I get the Sellwood appeal; however, it is guesswork right now on what he will be next year.

Assume Weightman as well? Just doing a quick vibes based rating going into next season:

I think we have a top 14. And then a bottom 9, one of those bottom 9 is our 2nd key defender so I’ve got O’Donnell at #15 as we have to play 2 at minimum.

That leaves Bramble at #16 and the top of our “bottom 8” which is universally spoken about as weak

1. Bontempelli
2. Darcy
3. Richards
4. Dale
5. Liberatore
6. Naughton
7. English
8. Weightman (hope)
9. West
10. M. Kennedy
11. Treloar (hope)
12. Lobb
13. Freijah
14. Williams
15. O’Donnell
16. Bramble
17. Budarick
18. Davidson
19. …
20. …
21. …
22. …
23. …

[GVGjr]

My pound4pound ratings had Bramble as our 13th-best player in 2025.
Having a look now, I think that is 100% his correct sport, and I cannot make an argument for anyone below him to be rated higher.
Forecasting for next year, I would hope Sanders, Trelor and Garcia go past him, Cleary is a chance and is the only defender.
I get the Sellwood appeal; however, it is guesswork right now on what he will be next year.

It's a good assessment and probably highlights that he is a little undervalued by some supporters.
Sedat is correct that he struggled with his disposals in the first half of his first season but we stuck with him and he finished the season off strongly. He's been pretty solid since.

[GVGjr]

This might be the most relevant spot to mention this. Has been mentioned by some journos on twitter that the AFL are looking at bringing in an extra rookie spot for each club specifically for indigenous players to help fight the declining numbers there

Yes, and at the same time GC are looking to bring in Marra.
It's actually a good decision by the AFL for so many reasons.